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VIDEO: Langley women makes homemade masks for neighbours amid COVID-19 pandemic

Masks are made of paper towel, elastic bands, and staples
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A Langley senior is encouraging people to make their own masks to slow the coronavirus pandemic spread. (Langley Advance Times files)

A Langley resident living at Southwind Estates is creating homemade masks for her fellow neighbours in a bid to keep people safe during the spread of COVID-19.

The 78-year-old resident preferred not to be named, but did tell the Langley Advance Times that she wanted to do something to help and saw a video on Youtube that directed how to build a homemade mask.

“With all of the medical supplies being bought out, I realized that I had all of the supplies to make one at home – paper towel rolls, elastic bands, and stapler – so I got to work,” she said. “It’s so easy.”

For anyone looking to make their own, the woman recommends using “big heavy duty paper towel” and start by folding a sheet “accordion-style” approximately one-third of an inch.

“Next, you take the ends and put an elastic band on each side, then you staple the bands, and then pull the paper apart one your done. It’s great! It covers your whole mouth and nose,” she said.

The woman estimates that each one took her about three minutes to make.

“I spent a couple of hours and made some for each unit – we have 88 units. So, now there’s two great bigs bowls with the masks inside freezer bags at our clubhouse,” she explained. “People have been taking them.”

One of the residents was so moved by her efforts, they contacted the Langley Advance Times to pass along the info, say thank you to the woman, and encourage kindness during the pandemic.

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B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has said that coronavirus particle is one to two microns in size, and that Canadian and U.S. public health authorities don’t recommend masks general consumer use.

“If I’m not sick, it’s not effective,” Henry said during a TV town hall meeting on the pandemic in Vancouver March 19. “It’s not something that, when I’m out in public, is going to protect me in any way. And as a matter of fact, people often fiddle with it, and contaminate themselves, and it can lead to more risk.”

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Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@langleyadvancetimes.com

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